Premier League key fixtures: Opening weekend, title deciders and the big-six's first six

Here is a snapshot of fixtures to look forward to following their release on Friday morning.

THE CHAMPIONS: Arsenal's Martin Odegaard lifts the Premier League trophy. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.

Maybe it’s because the World Cup is ongoing, but it feels like the summer break for the Premier League is getting shorter and shorter.

It only feels like a couple of weeks ago that Arsenal ended their 22-year wait to get their hands back on the Premier League trophy when they lifted it at Selhurst Park on the final day of the 2025/26 season.

Yet here we are now taking a look at the fixtures for the 2026/27 campaign after they were officially released on Friday morning.

Rather than go through each club’s 38 games, here is a snapshot of fixtures to look forward to focusing on the Premier League’s so-called “big-six” (is choosing Aston Villa over Spurs controversial?) first six, as well as the matches on the opening and closing weekends and finally the games that could well decide who lifts the title next May.

Community Shield

Aug 16: Arsenal v Manchester City

UEFA Super Cup

Aug 12: PSG v Aston Villa

Big-six’s first six

Arsenal

Aug 21: Coventry City (h)

Aug 29: Aston Villa (a)

Sept 5: Chelsea (h)

Sept 12: Sunderland (a)

Sept 19: Brighton (a)

Oct 10: Leeds (h)

Aston Villa

Aug 23: Brighton (a)

Aug 29: Arsenal (h)

Sept 5: Hull (a)

Sept 12: Nottm Forest (h)

Sept 19: Spurs (a)

Oct 10: Brentford (h)

Chelsea

Aug 24: Fulham (a)

Aug 29: Brighton (h)

Sept 5: Arsenal (a)

Sept 12: Hull (h)

Sept 19: Brentford (a)

Oct 10: Bournemouth (h)

Liverpool

Aug 23: Newcastle (a)

Aug 29: Nottm Forest (h)

Sept 5: Ipswich (a)

Sept 12: Fulham (h)

Sept 19: Bournemouth (a)

Oct 10: Manchester City (h)

Manchester City

Aug 23: Bournemouth (h)

Aug 29: Crystal Palace (a)

Sept 5: Coventry (h)

Sept 12: Manchester United (a) 

Sept 19: Sunderland (h) 

Oct 10: Liverpool (a)

Manchester United

Aug 23: Hull (a)

Aug 29: Ipswich (h)

Sept 5: Everton (a)

Sept 12: Manchester City (h)

Sept 19: Fulham (a)

Oct 10: Spurs (h).

Title deciders?

Oct 10: Liverpool v Manchester City

Oct 31: Liverpool v Arsenal

Nov 21: Liverpool v Manchester United

Nov 28: Arsenal v Manchester City

Dec 5: Spurs v Arsenal.

Dec 19: Arsenal v Manchester United

Jan 23: Manchester United v Liverpool

Jan 30: Manchester City v Arsenal

Feb 6: Arsenal v Liverpool

Feb 27: Manchester United v Arsenal

Mar 20: Manchester City v Manchester United.

May 1: Arsenal v Spurs

May 8: Manchester City v Liverpool.

Opening weekend

Aug 21

Arsenal v Coventry City (8pm)

Aug 22

Hull City v Manchester United (12.30pm)

Everton v Crystal Palace (3pm)

Ipswich Town v Sunderland (3pm)

Nottingham Forest v Leeds United (3pm)

Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur (5.30pm)

Aug 23 

Brighton v Aston Villa (2pm)

Manchester City v Bournemouth (2pm)

Newcastle United v Liverpool (4.30pm)

Aug 24

Fulham v Chelsea (8pm).

St Stephen's Day

(some may be moved for TV)

Aston Villa v Leeds

Coventry v Chelsea

Crystal Palace v Arsenal

Everton v Sunderland

Fulham v Brighton

Hull v Liverpool

Ipswich v Brentford

Manchester United v Nottm Forest

Newcastle v Manchester City

Spurs v Bournemouth.

Final Day

May 30

Arsenal v Brighton

Aston Villa v Spurs

Chelsea v Brentford

Coventry v Nottm Forest

Crystal Palace v Leeds

Hull v Newcastle

Ipswich v Everton

Liverpool v Bournemouth

Manchester United v Fulham

Sunderland v Manchester City.